Lenoir-Rhyne's Tanner Botts Named To The AFCA NCAA Division II Coaches All-America Team

Waco, Texas – Lenoir-Rhyne University's Tanner Botts has been named to the 2014 AFCA NCAA Division II Coaches All-America Football Team. AFCA is the American Football Coaches Association.

Botts, a senior linebacker from Lawrenceville, Ga., led the Bears in tackles for the third straight year in 2014 with 89 and was named the South Atlantic Conference and Super Region II Defensive Player Of The Year by both Daktronics and the Beyond Sports Network (BSN).

Botts added 11.5 takedowns for a loss, 2.5 quarterback sacks and one fumble recovery this year and led a unit which allowed just 15.6 points per contest.

Botts is a three-time First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference honoree (2012-14) who earned All-American honors last year as well and finished with 385 tackles for his collegiate career.

Lenoir-Rhyne ended the year with a record of 11-1 this fall and was ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation. The Bears also won their fourth straight South Atlantic Conference Championship in 2014 and was the top seed in the region for the second straight season.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.

The AFCA's Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's nine districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee.

The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chosen.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.

The AFCA's Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's nine districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chosen.

2014 AFCA NCAA Division II

Coaches' All-America Team

Offense

WR - Darius Davis, 5-11, 210, Sr., Henderson St. (Ark.), Frisco, Texas (Wakeland)
WR - Vernon Johnson, 6-1, 190, Sr., Texas A&M-Commerce, Fort Worth, Texas (Brewer)
OL - Cole Manhart, 6-6, 310, Sr., Nebraska-Kearney, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (ThunderRidge)
OL - Isaiah Shelton, 6-2, 310, Sr., Shepherd (W.Va.), Temple Hills, Md. (Charles H. Flowers)
OL - Travis Hening, 6-5, 305, Jr., East Central (Okla.), Yukon, Okla. (Yukon)
OL - Mike Lorenzo, 6-2, 280, Sr., Chadron St. (Neb.), Oak Park, Calif. (Westlake)
OL - Andrew Muer, 6-3, 275, Sr., Minnesota-Duluth, Perham, Minn. (Perham)
QB - Jason Vander Laan, 6-4, 240, Jr., Ferris St. (Mich.), Frankfort, Ill. (Chicago Christian)
RB - Calvinaugh Jones, 5-9, 200, Jr., Concord (W.Va.), Glen Burnie, Md. (Meade)
RB - Terrell Watson, 6-2, 240, Sr., Azusa Pacific (Calif.), Oxnard, Calif. (Oxnard)
RB - Romo Westbrook, 5-10, 210, Sr., Harding (Ark.), Marion, Ark. (Bishop Byrne)

Defense

DL - Josh Gordon, 6-2, 250, Jr., Minnesota St.-Mankato, Milwaukee, Wis. (Wisconsin Lutheran)
DL - Matt Longacre, 6-3, 270, Sr., Northwest Missouri State, Omaha, Neb. (Millard West)
DL - Alex Markarian, 6-4, 275, Sr., Humboldt State (Calif.), Chino Hills, Calif. (Reuben Ayala)
DL - Darius Allen, 6-4, 250, Sr., Colorado St.-Pueblo, Pueblo, Colo. (Pueblo East)
LB - Tanner Botts, 6-2, 215, Sr., Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), Lawrenceville, Ga. (Peachtree Ridge)
LB - Nores Fradi, 6-1, 215, Sr., Wayne St. (Mich.), Dearborn Heights, Mich. (Dearborn)
LB - Grant Singer, 6-1, 225, Sr., Mary (N.D.), Turtle Lake, N.D. (Turtle Lake-Mercer)
DB - Jordan Shaw, 6-2, 215, Jr., Shorter (Ga.), Jasper, Ga. (Pickens County)
DB - Will Brown, 6-1, 190, Sr., Missouri S&T, Hazelwood, Mo. (Hazelwood West)
DB - Michael Jordan, 6-0, 200, Jr., Missouri Western State, Hazelwood, Mo. (Hazelwood Central)
DB - Solomon St. Pierre, 5-11, 170, Jr., Sioux Falls (S.D.), Wagner, S.D. (Wagner)

Specialists

P - Tom Obarski, 5-11, 185, Sr., Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.), Burnsville, Minn. (Apple Valley)
PK - Brent Wahle, 6-2, 175, Jr., Ohio Dominican, Pataskala, Ohio (Bishop Hartley)
AP - Isaiah Davis, 5-10, 185, Jr., Central Washington, Bremerton, Wash. (South Kitsap)